SAOS Newsletter

NEWSLETTER May 2019

Volume 14 Issue #5 CLUB NEWS

May 7, 2019 Monthly SAOS divisions to pot up. Feel free to bring a plant that you’d like Meeting to learn how to repot. If you have more than one or two, by Janis Croft plan to bring them to Ace. Bring $5 to cover the cost of materials. Welcome and Thanks. - Birthdays this Month - Our Sunshine Coordinator and President Tom Sullivan Membership VP, Linda Stewart asked all of the May birthday opened the meeting at 7:00 people to raise their hand to receive their free raffle ticket. pm with a 79 attendees. He Then she announced that if you know of anyone in need of asked Rae to announce our a cheering up or a get well card, let her know by emailing guests and new members, her at [email protected]. Jennifer, Sabria and Zevi - Library – Librarian Bea Orendorff brought in two generic Jacobson, Bill and Deb books with chapters on Laelias and one DVD on Laelias Bodei, Michaeleen Chalut, for people to borrow. The library collection is listed on our Vern Bloch Barrie Nathanson, Lorene SAOS website. If you would like a book, send a request to Raynor and Dwayne Wynne. [email protected] and Bea will bring the item(s) Each received a free raffle to the next meeting. ticket for joining this month. Tom thanked Dorianna, Dottie, Celia and Dianne for bringing in desserts and Debbie Show Table. Courtney Hackney started the Show Table from Watson Reality for covering for Jeanette while by stating that he is ever more amazed at how well our she recovers from knee replacement surgery. He then club’s members grow orchids. The Oncidium sphacelatum reminded all to drop a dollar in the basket while enjoying seemed huge but Courtney said it could grow much larger. their refreshments. Tom next informed all that the Best of He had seen one while judging that had over 100 spikes Show voting would occur after the Show Table discussion and three people had to count the flowers and it didn’t even and the Silent Auction would end before the presentation. win a CCM. He encouraged all to vote for their favorite orchid on the The table had several Phragmipediums that were Show Table. interesting to see all together. All phrags like good water like reverse osmosis or pure rainwater and they tend to Club Business. Shows in Florida this Month - Volusia grow in cooler climates than ours. If you can protect them County Orchid Society and the Redland Festival are this from our intense summer heat, you will get good growth. month. Check out the website under Calendar of Events The Phrag. Inca Ember likes constant moisture and can for details. grow hydroponically. It will have continual buds as a mature - Ace Repotting Clinic will be on June 1, 2019 from 9 - noon plant. at Ace Hardware, 3050 US 1 South. - Catasetum Raffle – Sue held up her catasetum plug to show how the competition is growing, many said that their plants were much larger. We should begin watering once the new growth unfurls, and watch our plugs grow. She will continue to update us monthly on what to expect. - Supplies – email info@staugorchidsociety. org if you need supplies. - Keiki Club/Mentoring Program – Want to learn about potting mixes and repotting orchids? On May 26, the Keiki Club will meet at Sue and Terry Bottom’s home. Bring a 4 and 6 inch pot, and we will have Continued on page 3

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August 2-3 Ninth Annual Cattleya Symposium Sponsored by Odom’s Orchids Indian River Research & Education Ctr Fort Pierce 3 SAOS at Ace Hardware, 9 am til 1 pm 3050 US 1 S in St. Augustine Repotting and Plant Clinic 6 SAOS Meeting, 7 pm Jim Roberts, Florida SunCoast Orchids Upcoming Orchid Events Hybridizing Our Orchids May 10 Florida North-Central AOS Judging, 1 pm Clermont Judging Ctr, 849 West Ave. 11 Florida North-Central AOS Judging, 1 pm 13 JOS Meeting, Orchid Propagation, 7 pm Clermont Judging Ctr, 849 West Ave. Steve Arthur, Steve Arthur Orchids 11-12 Volusia County Orchid Society Show Volusia County Fairgrounds 17-19 Redland International Orchid Festival Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead St. Augustine Orchid Society Organization 26 Keiki Club Get-Together, 1 pm Growing Area Tour – Repotting President Tom Sullivan Sue and Terry Bottom’s Home [email protected] 6916 Cypress Lake Court, St. Aug 32086 Vice President Janis Croft June Communications [email protected]

1 Repotting at Ace Hardware, 9 am til 1 pm Vice President Dianne Batchelder 3050 US 1 S in St. Augustine Events [email protected] 1-2 Central Florida Orchid Society Show Nat’l Guard Armory, Orlando Vice President Linda Stewart 4 SAOS Meeting, 6:30 pm Membership [email protected] Allen Black, Allen Black Orchids Novelty Breeding – Stars & Stripes Vice President Sue Bottom 8 Florida North-Central AOS Judging, 1 pm Programs [email protected] Clermont Judging Ctr, 849 West Ave. 11 JOS Meeting, Dendrobiums, 7 pm Treasurer Bill Gourley Mark Reinke, Marble Branch Orchids [email protected] 22 Keiki Club, leave at 9 am for 11 am arrival Directors at Large Susan Smith, 2017 Field Trip to Krull Smith Orchids [email protected] 2800 W. Ponkan Rd, Apopka, FL 32712 Doug Smith, 2019 If you want to carpool or caravan: [email protected] email [email protected] Bob Schimmel, 2019 July [email protected]

6 Repotting at Ace Hardware, 9 am til 1 pm Exhibit Committee Janis Croft 3050 US 1 S in St. Augustine Chair [email protected] 9 JOS Meeting, Dozen Orchids, 7 pm Tom Wise, AOS Judge Librarian Bea Orendorff 10 SAOS Meeting, 6:30 pm [email protected] Tom Wise, AOS Judge Bewitching Doritis Species & Hybrids Newsletter Editors Sue and Terry Bottom 13 Florida North-Central AOS Judging, 1 pm Webmasters [email protected] Clermont Judging Ctr, 849 West Ave. [email protected]

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Continued from page 1 There were several Cattleya varieties including the C. maxima with its numerous light purple flowers with dark purple veined lip. Keeping the purple theme, the C. violacea ‘Icabaru’ had striations on petals and its lip exterior was entirely purple with a white and yellow interior. The purple C. Tiny Titan ‘Sure Thing’ continues the theme with all petals being lavender and the lip having a yellow interior. We also had the lavender Lc. Irene Finley ‘Spring’s Best’ and the different synonyms (identical plants with different names). Ascf. Cherry Blossom ‘Carmela’ showing off their purplish The plants classification has also changed multiple times. colors. Asctm. miniatum shared its compact orange flowers In 2000, it was reclassified into the Sophronitis genus but as a contrast to all the purple/lavender on the show table. then in 2011, reclassified into the Cattleya genus. It isa Sue Bottom’s Catasetum Jumbo Pearl had two outstanding unifoliate cattleya that grows erect so it takes up less bench inflorescences of deep almost black flowers and Courtney space in the greenhouse. It typically grows in the high tree noted that Sue is an excellent grower of this genus. Check canopy loving the bright light and lots of air movement. out the photos of our show table examples at the end of the It also likes warm, wet summers. Typically it has white newsletter and on the SAOS website. to pink petals and sepals along with a tubular, trumpet shaped lip with a yellowish throat with crimson to purple veins. However, Vern warned, there are significant color variations in the species and proceeded to show us slides of all the varieties. There are nine varieties with stabilized color forms, like the varieties flammea, striata, venous, carnea, alba, sauvissima, albescens, virginalis and russelliana. Additional varieties include var. mandayana which has only been identified on one man made plant and var. werkhauserii which has slate blue striping and is nicknamed the “witch’s flower.” The original finder of the werkhauserii divided the plant into two and gave each half to his son and daughter. The daughter’s plant eventually bloomed with the first SAOS Program. Sue Bottom introduced our evening’s speaker, Vern Bloch from Malabar who discussed Laelia real blue and she would never show it or divide it. After purpurata and its hybrids. He also brought several varieties 50 years, she agreed to sell five bulb divisions to a group to sell at the back table, one of which was the typical of five buyers. When the purchase time arrived (a late Laelia purpurata which he held up to show its gorgeous afternoon on Friday), they presented her with the check flowers. These grow in southern Brazil, a similar distance which she refused to accept. She would only take cash. from the equator as mid-Florida. One difference in climate Luckily one of the buyers owned a bank and quickly went is the cooler south Atlantic seas have a strong influence to reopen the bank and withdraw the cash. He was back in on the growth of the species. Vern has researched Laelia time to make the purchase and sign the contract. As they purpurata and his primary resources are Mauro Rosen’s left, they announced that they got the “witch’s flower” and excellent photos and documentation along with a book by thus the nickname. Vern then proceeded to show us slides Lou Menezes. Brazilians identify the Laelia purpurata as of the varieties listed above crossed with other plants to their national flower also and the government has passed produce some wonderful, very colorful hybrids. regulations to make it illegal to harvest plants from the wild where they used to grow abundantly on rocks and trees. Meeting Conclusion. Sue Bottom announced the The few remaining wild plants are now growing on very tall Member’s Choice Award as Linda Stewart’s Bulb. trees in remote areas. maximum. The evening concluded with the raffle table. John Lindley developed orchid classifications in the 1830s. Thanks to the few helpful hands that stayed to reset the He classified the species Laelia purpurata in 1855 defining tables and chairs and clean up the room. the flowers to have white petals and sepals with purple lip. Thanks to Watson Realty and As time progressed, there became identified a wide range Jeanette Smith for the use of their of colors with 38 different varieties, 93 different forma meeting space at (sometimes having little difference in color patterns) and 91 3505 US 1 South

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May 26 Keiki Club April Field Trip Repotting and Potting Mixes Monthly AOS Judging in Clermont by Susan Smith Sue will talk about how to decide which mix is best for your orchids, considering your growing area and watering Several members carpooled down to Clermont to observe habits. There may be some orchid keikis and divisions for the AOS judging process at the Florida North-Central you to mount and or pot up (one to a customer), bring a Judging Center. I brought two orchids to be judged and the clay pot, just in case. To cover the cost of supplies, there entry form was a breeze to complete. will be a $5 charge. Each of the three judging teams had computers with orchid If you have more than 1 or 2 of your own plants that need software installed. We looked at one plant at a time and repotting, please bring them to the Ace repotting clinic. The compared the blooms to the previous award descriptions repotting crew is available to give you hands-on tips on re- and photos, or to the information on the parents if no prior potting at the monthly Ace clinics. award was listed. I learned to look more closely at a flower Mentees should consider attending to become more com- that I ever had before. They were taken outside to see in fortable with repotting their orchids. natural light where the color was much brighter. Four of Moderator: Sue Bottom the plants brought to the meeting were numerically judged. Where: Sue and Terry Bottom’s Home We were given judging forms to complete along with the 6916 Cypress Lake Court, St. Aug 32086 team just for fun. If an award was given, the bloom was When: Sunday May 26, 1 - 3 pm measured and a detailed description of the plant was written. A photographer was on hand to photograph it per June 4 Monthly SAOS Meeting the judges instructions. Novelty Brassavola/Cattleya Alliance Breeding I was very impressed by the knowledge of the judges as Allen Black, Allen Black Orchids well as the welcoming atmosphere. It’s a long ride but worth the trip. When you learn to see the Our featured speaker, Allen Black, will give his ‘Spiders orchids this way you can appreciate and Stars’ talk on novelty Brassavola/Cattleya alliance them so much more. The crowning breeding. Allen is a hobbyist orchid grower and breeder glory was an HCC given to one of who specializes in Brassavola-Cattleya alliance novelty my orchids and since it had no clonal hybrids. If you are growing weary of the meristem, more-of- name, I named it Vera Simone after the-same, big, round, cattleyas, if you want some that are my granddaughter. “different, unique, or exciting,” this presentation is for you! The judging is monthly so if anyone With lots of beautiful pictures we’ll talk about the Brassavola wants to take a road trip with or species like B. cucullata, some primary hybrids and other without an orchid, let me know. We’ll wild and wonderful brassavola and cattleya alliance hybrds. pack a lunch and bring cookies for Allen will be selling orchids. He’s bringing seedlings of the judges. Rth. Jon Tumilson’s Crush some of his most recent crosses. It ‘Vera Simone’ HCC/AOS Bring your flowering orchids to exhibit on the Show Table. We will have our normal raffle at the end of the meeting. Catasetum Competition Grow Friends and guests are always welcome! In January, we raffled off 20 plugs of this new hybrid, with American Orchid Society Corner the understanding that prizes will be awarded TO (1) the first to bloom, (2) the best bloom, and (3) the best grown May 16, 8:30-9:30 pm, AOS Members Only plant. Each month we’ll talk about what to do with your Asian Cymbidiums – Ken Jacobsen catasetum and show you how the plant is progressing. Let the contest begin! Orchids Magazine this month: In May: You are finally seeing some green, hallelujah! It Greenhouse Cooling, Norbert Dank will start to grow faster now, soon it will be 4 or 5 inches tall Orchid Garden, Tom Mirenda and the leaves unfurled, and it will be time to water. Then Vegetative Propagation, Barbara Schmidt you will really notice an increase in the growth rate, it will James Bateman, David Rosenfeld seem an inch taller every day. Top dress the pot with some timed release fertilizer. Catasetums are heavy feeders, Photos of Latest AOS Awards they have to do all their growing in 7 months while other orchids get a full 12 months.

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L. purpurata var. carnea

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Orchid Questions & Answers by Sue Bottom, sbottom15@ gmail.com

Q1. Is this a Catasetum? I’m concerned about this second yellow leaf. Q 2 A1. I think that is a Grammatophyllum, a close relative to catasetums, but these don’t lose their leaves in winter. They tend to be mite magnets and your plant shows evidence of mite damage. You can spray a miticide like Avid (normal insecticides won’t kill mites, which are in the arachnid family) or you can water blast the leaves with a nozzle set on flat and then spray the entire plant with alcohol or alcohol with dish soap, perhaps repeat weekly for a month or so.

Q 1 Q3. I recently purchased some more orchids (a recurrent problem) and one was a blooming vanda that had questionable spots on the flowers. If it is Botrytis, what is the best course of action? Being in west Texas, the humidity is super low, but I have been running a humidifier so it’s felt much more jungle like in my sunroom lately.

Q 3

A3. I don’t think it is Botrytis, a fungal infection causing small dark spots on the flowers. You may have two things going on, the black sunken spots may be some sort of bacterial infection and the raised, corky spots are probably edema. Edema is like a blister when the plant absorbs more water than can be shed through transpiration, happening more on leaves than flowers. It happens when you water late Q2. Could these possibly be buds? in the day and the nights turn cool or when you water on a gray rainy day. It doesn’t really harm the plant. Look at A2. It sure looks like it. They’re called the bud primordia, the spots, if they are sunken, think bacterial infection, but if the tissue from which the flowers will ultimately form. raised it is more likely edema.

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Repotting Do’s and wounds on the plant. It is best to use dry medium and wait Don’ts at least several days before watering your newly repotted orchid. Some growers lay their divisions on newspaper in by Dr. Courtney Hackney, an unused bedroom until new roots appear. Why waste a [email protected] pot and medium if the division is not going to grow well. The key to all repotting is to remember that your orchid If emails and casual has been shocked and lost most of its ability to obtain conversations are any water. Cattleyas, dendrobiums and other orchids with indication, repotting is thickened leaves will be fine if the plant is shaded heavily traumatic for many orchid after repotting until they get new roots. Then, gradually hobbyists. It is not surprising give them more light. Other orchids that are terrestrial-like to most of us that have been and/or have fine roots or thin leaves, need more care and doing this awhile, because may require some misting until new roots appear. it was traumatic to us in the beginning too. Given how The one exception to the need to keep roots dry is when different orchid roots look, the cost compared to a petunia, a medium is used that is toxic to bacteria and fungi, e.g., and the number of pages in orchid books devoted to the sphagnum or osmunda. The pH is so low that almost no “dos and don’ts” of potting, fear is not surprising. So here is bacteria harmful to plants will grow. This seems to be the what everyone should remember. medium of choice for many phal growers. You should never use the reason of dividing your plant into two or more orchids as the justification for repotting, although that is a frequent consequence. Repot when your orchid is at risk because the potting media is breaking down or there is some other problem, e.g., heavy scale infestation that cannot be solved without removing the plant from its pot. Remember that the bigger your orchid is, the more and larger flowers it will have. Always sterilize any instrument that cuts an orchid. The best method is to hold your snips in the flame for a few seconds making sure you have exposed both sides of the entire cutting surface to the flame. A hot cutting tool effectively sterilizes the cut surface of the plant. Do not worry about damaging roots, since most will ultimately die from the repotting anyway. Some expert growers remove almost all roots when they repot to avoid them rotting later and infecting the rest of the plant. If repotted at the correct time of the year, your orchid will quickly re-grow roots, but it may take a few years to acquire the root mass it had before repotting, hence the suggestion to avoid repotting unless absolutely necessary. Many times I sit a cattleya with all of its roots removed in the bottom of a clay pot in a shaded portion of the greenhouse until I see tiny new roots starting. Only then do I add the medium and complete repotting. On occasion, I forget a plant and find it fully rooted to the pot the next spring. Again, the key point is that one should only repot during the growing season, i.e., now. Most books recommend wetting the medium before using it, a recommendation that I do not endorse. This is an open invitation for bacteria and fungi to invade any open

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Laelia purpurata – A Cattleya by Any Other Name and are usually referred to as the “Cattleyode” or Cattleya- by Art Chadwick, courtesy of the American Orchid Society like Laelias. Recent DNA studies have confirmed what has reprinted with permission been clear for more than 100 years, that these Cattleyode Laelias are quite different from the Mexican Laelias and The large-flowered Cattleya species have suffered from they do not belong in the genus Laelia. It is now time to a bad case of botanical heartburn for more than 150 years look at these large-flowered Brazilian Laelias for what they — and some of the mistakes of the past never seem to be are - large-flowered Cattleya species. The only botanical corrected. For Laelia purpurata, which is really a Cattleya, change, of course, that is needed to accomplish this, is to things even seem to be going from bad to worse, as I see define the Cattleya species as we have always done, but recent efforts to reclassify this wonderful large and showy add that a Cattleya has from four to eight pollinia. species as a member of the genus Sophronitis, which is One of the most compelling arguments for including the composed of miniatures. large-flowered Brazilian Laelias in the genus Cattleya is the ease with which they breed with the large-flowered Cattleya species, and the normal character of the flowers of the resulting hybrids. In this respect, these large- flowered Brazilian Laelias are more closely related to the large-flowered labiata-type Cattleyas than Cattleya labiata is to the bifoliate cut-lip Cattleya species, where lip and other flower distortions do occur in their hybrids. Flower distortions also occur when Sophronitis species are crossed with these Laelias. The Grand Monarch of these large-flowered Brazilian species, of course, is Laelia purpurata, which has been a parent at one time or another in more than 90 percent of all so-called Laeliocattleya hybrids. Laelia purpurata is without doubt one of the finest of all cultivated orchids. In addition to its large showy flowers, it has one of the widest ranges of color forms. There are Laelia purpurata probably more named clones of L. purpurata than any The problems of L. purpurata began in 1831 when John other Laelia or Cattleya species. Lindley established the genus Laelia. In 1831, Lindley described a Mexican orchid he called Laelia grandiflora This says a lot when you realize that named clones of (L. speciosa today) in his book Genera and Species of Cattleya mossiae and Cattleya trianaei number in the Orchidaceous Plants. The plant had relatively short, oval- hundreds. Laelia purpurata has large flowers, 6 to 8 inches shaped pseudobulbs that were different from the tall club- across, and there are usually four or five flowers on a spike. shaped or spindle-shaped pseudobulbs of a typical large- The lavender color in the lip can be a brilliant royal purple flowered Cattleya. The flowers were smaller, had a cut lip often mixed with tones of red. This color can even appear and eight pollen sacs (pollinia) instead of the usual four in the sepals and petals to produce a flame-colored flower in Cattleya species. At the time, the new genus Laelia, in flammea types. Many lovely semialba forms exist that seemed to make sense. The plants were just different often have striking dark purple lips and present a gorgeous enough to appear botanically distinct. contrast in color. Semialba forms also include flowers with pink to reddish lips, and lips that are dark slate-blue. Then, in 1852, Lindley described another new orchid he called Laelia purpurata. This orchid, however, came from Brazil, not Mexico, and it had tall pseudobulbs that were similar to the pseudobulbs of a large-flowered Cattleya species. It also had flowers that looked just like a large- flowered Cattleya. In fact, the only thing that made it different from a Cattleya was that its flowers had eight pollinia instead of four. Despite the plant’s being a Cattleya in virtually all vegetative and floral characteristics, Lindley pushed it into the genus Laelia because it had eight pollinia, and it has been there ever since. The large-flowered Brazilian Laelias are a distinct group within the present genus Laelia. They occur only in Brazil. There are none in Mexico or anywhere else in the Americas. They include primarily Laelia purpurata, Laelia crispa, Laelia lobata, Laelia grandis and Laelia tenebrosa Laelia Canhamiana ‘Azure Skies’ AM/AOS Continued on page 9

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Continued from page 8 Laelia purpurata is known in the orchid world today only as Laelia purpurata. It was pictured in the famous orchid books Lindenia and Reichenbachia, under this name, and in modern works like L.C. Menezes’ splendid book entitled Laelia purpurata, which shows a marvelous sampling of the many color forms of the species. In addition, when used as a parent in hybrids, the name L. purpurata is used by the Royal Horticultural Society’s orchid registrar, and AOS awards granted to this species are recorded under this name, too. It is unfortunate that, as Veitch observed in 1887, Bentham and Hooker continued John Lindley’s separation of the genera, Laelia and Cattleya, but it is equally sad that Veitch did not correct the problem himself. Veitch’s Manual of Orchidaceous Plants was the most widely read authoritative work on orchids of its Laelia purpurata var. striata day, and had Veitch called the plant Cattleya purpurata Although there are a number of pale lavender albescens instead of L. purpurata in his manual, we would not be forms, there are also a few true albas that are quite faced with the nomenclature difficulties we have now beautiful. with the large-flowered Brazilian Laelias. In 1887, most orchid growers still used the names Cattleya crispa Laelia purpurata does not have the wide petals of a and Cattleya lobata and totally ignored John Lindley’s C. trianaei, and tends to pass this characteristic on to attempt 30 years earlier to change these names to its hybrids. It more than makes up for this, however, by Laelia crispa and Laelia lobata. If Veitch had acted imparting the brilliant, rich colors of its labellum to the lips on his convictions instead of just wringing his hands of its hybrids, and it is the chief contributor to the richly and blaming Bentham and Hooker, there would be no colored lips of most of our purple Laeliacattleya hybrids. problem with C. purpurata today. There are also good coerulea forms; some of the best coerulea Laeliocattleyas I have seen have L. purpurata as Should we change the name Laelia purpurata to a parent. Because of its floriferousness and the beautiful Cattleya purpurata now? The genus Laelia was coloring of its flowers, I feel no orchid collection should be established based on a Mexican orchid, so the Mexican without it. Laelias will always retain the botanical priority in the use of the name Laelia. Since it is now clear that the Laelia purpurata is the parent of probably the most famous Brazilian large-flowered Laelias do not belong in the primary hybrid in orchid history, Laeliocattleya Canhamiana same genus as the Mexican Laelias, the Brazilian (L. purpurata × C. mossiae). This cross, which flowers Laelias are in a botanical wilderness and they need in June in the United States, was the wedding orchid of some informed help to place them in a happy home. the cut-flower days, and literally tens of thousands Lc. Canhamiana were grown during the 1940s at the peak of After growing these plants for 60 years, I have to the cut-flower era. The semialba form was the wedding agree with the horticulturists of the late 1800s who orchid itself, pictured in advertisements in magazines felt the Brazilian large-flowered Laelias were Cattleya and newspapers, and even in full color on the cover of species and should have always been classified that the American Orchid Society Bulletin for December 1946, way. If we change the Brazilian large-flowered Laelias followed by four full-color pages of Lc. Canhamiana in to Cattleyas, of course, we are still faced with the bridal bouquets, travel corsages, hair swirls and even on a problem of who really described C. purpurata first. Both graduation diploma. Laeliocattleya Canhamiana shows the Lindley and Lemaire published their descriptions of this dominance of L. purpurata’s magnificent lip color, which orchid in 1852. If Lindley failed to beat Lemaire to the made the semialba form so appealing. There have been pressroom, which is probable, we may really be talking many named clones of Lc. Canhamiana over the years, about Cattleya brysiana, not C. purpurata as a name but the best one I have seen is an old clone named ‘King for this orchid. Whether we call it Cattleya purpurata or George’, which has a particularly large and beautiful lip. Cattleya brysiana, however, is not too important. What is important is that we finally call it Cattleya. Laelia purpurata is native to Santa Caterina in southern Brazil where it is so admired that it is the state flower of Santa Caterina. It is extremely popular with local Brazilian orchid growers and rare clones garner handsome prices This abbreviated version was extracted from an article - in the thousands of dollars. Whole orchid shows are appearing in the American Orchid Society Orchids dedicated to L. purpurata and, with its many color forms, it magazine, in June 2003 (Vol. 72:6, pp 440-446), reprinted is a collector’s dream. with permission.

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Repotting Throughout the Year by Sue Bottom

Just like our garden plants, orchids struggle with transplant shock after repotting. Simply removing a plant from the pot disrupts the root system, then you cut away the older and tired part of the plant and give the roots a haircut, compounding the root damage. Sometimes the potting mix has broken down causing the entire root system to rot. The best time to repot your orchid is when it is just beginning to grow new roots. Sometimes you can see a Habenarias Repotted swelling on the stem or bulb and know the roots will emerge within days. This is the time to repot. The new roots will Consider inserting a bamboo skewer in the pot so you’ll grow rapidly into the fresh mix and the plant will reestablish have something to stake the flower stem to later in the year itself quickly with a minimum of transplant shock. If you (without puncturing the tuber). do not follow this rule, the plant can become dehydrated, February is also the time to repot your summer because the damaged root system cannot absorb water blooming phalaenopsis, if they need repotting. This will and nutrients very effectively. give them a chance to recover from transplant shock and be established by the time the summer blooming season rolls around. March and April are prime repotting season for many genera, including many cattleyas that initiate root growth at the same time as they initiate new growths. The unifoliates are much more forgiving of repotting at the wrong time, while this can be fatal for bifoliates. Some cattleyas start growing new roots when the new pseudobulbs are growing, and others finish growing their pseudobulbs and then rest a bit before the new roots emerge. Bill Rogerson’s excellent article on orchid species culture contains a tabulation of Catasetums Repotted when each cattleya species starts rooting, a great resource The repotting marathon begins in January, when the for the cattleya grower. winter dormant varieties begin to wake from their slumber. The Catasetinae having blooming seasons ranging from summer through winter, depending on the genus. The summer blooming varieties are the first to initiate new growth after dormancy, while the fall and winter blooming varieties can lag months behind. As you see the beginning of new growth, it is time to repot them, a chore to be undertaken every year or every other year depending on your potting medium. Repot before the new, tender roots form. The new growth will show you how to orient the bulb in the pot, and let the roots grow into the fresh medium. You’ll find yourself repotting different varieties into April, particularly the winter blooming Clowesias and their hybrids. February is good time to repot your other winter dormant orchids, like habenarias. The top growth has all Cattleyas Repotted died and the tuber at the base of the pot is ready for some fresh media. Jim Heilig has some good suggestions: Pot March and April are also a great time to rebasket or them a little low in the pot at first. After the first whorl of rehang vandas that have become unruly. They begin leaves unfurl, top the pot off with some more media so the growing their new rootlets with the onset of the warm stem will be supported by another 1/4” or so of potting mix. weather and will quickly adjust to their new homes. Continued on page 11

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Continued from page 10 Dendrobiums, as a rule, resent repotting. The canes grow very close together, so they should be potted in a seemingly too small pot. Measure the distance between canes to estimate the annual growth rate, and select a pot that will accommodate the plant for 4 years or so. A low organic content potting mix should be used so you won’t be forced to repot them because of a rotting mix. Often you will find you can just drop the pot in a larger pot or slip pot them into a slightly larger pot with a minimum of root disruption. By the end of May, the bulk of your repotting should be complete. The main exception to this rule is your spring blooming phals that are still flowering and your bifoliate cattleyas that have not yet started growing roots. Many phal growers cut off the phal spikes after Memorial Day and use June to repot all their phals. This gives them a little time to get the roots reestablished before the extreme heat of summer occurs. In any case, the spring blooming phals should all be in their new pots once Independence Day rolls around. July and August are dangerous months for repotting. The water molds thrive in the heat and humidity and easily gain entrance into your plants through the wounds incurred during the repotting process. Unfortunately, the bifoliate cattleyas often grow new roots in July and August, so you may have to repot them during this danger period. Extreme caution should be used. After you clean your plants, let them dry before cutting them. Dust wounds with a dry Banrot powder. Do not water after repotting, let the wounds Phalaenopsis Blooming seal over for a week or two before watering. In mid September, the heat and humidity moderate, and the orchids respond with a growth spurt. You will start seeing green root tips, so you know any last minute repotting can be done during this brief window. By the end of October, most of your orchids are responding to the cooler temperatures, shortening day length and lower sun angle by slowing their growth. Some simply rest during the winter months, while others go into full dormancy. Avoid repotting during the November and December months. Spring is the main repotting season as this is when many genera are actively growing new leads and roots. Repotting during the hot summer months is problematic. The plants are struggling with the heat, pots dry more slowly with the high humidity, and this wetness increases disease pressure. If you must repot, be sure to keep the plant on the dry side for a week or two so the repotting wounds can seal off. Early fall is your last chance for repotting, when the temperature and humidity abates and you get a second growth spurt during which you’ll see new green root tips. While some cooler growing genera relish the winter months, most of your orchids will be resting if not Bifoliates Rooting in a deep sleep so repotting should be delayed until spring.

May 2019 Page 11 Link to more Pictures. https://www.flickr.com/gp/44931404@N04/95eN6o CULTIVATION

carnea

Laelia purpurata – Color Forms & Culture by Art Chadwick Laelia purpurata has the same cultural requirements as the other large-flowered Cattleya species. It usually be- gins sending up new growths in late summer and early autumn. These growths will be completed by mid-Janu- ary or early February and buds will begin to form in the sheath after a short rest period. The plants will flower from late May into June, depending on the clone. Give L. purpurata a few weeks’ rest after it flowers by minimiz- ing the watering, but do not let the pseudobulbs shrivel too much. Once the plant begins to grow, it requires lots of water, particularly as the growth elongates beyond 6 inches. Laelia purpurata can develop some really large pseudobulbs, often exceeding 20 inches from the base striata of the pseudobulb to the tip of the leaf, if grown well. ‘Cindarosa’

werkhauseri alba

schusteriana cernua

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Terry Bottom Terry Bottom Terry Bottom

Grower Tom & Dottie Sullivan Grower Harry & Celia McElroy Grower John Van Brocklin Phal. KS Happy Eagle Cym. Mem. Geoff Laird Enc. bractescens

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Grower Scott & Michele Campbell Grower Janis Croft Onc. sphacelatum Den. capituliflorum

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Grower Sue Bottom Grower Sue Bottom C. H. G. Selfridge Cyrtcs. Hendrik van der Hoven

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Terry Bottom Terry Bottom

Grower Jerry Fowler Grower Linda Stewart Den. Fire Wings Bulb. maximum

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Grower Larry McNally Grower Sue Bottom Lc. Irene Finney ‘Spring’s Best’ AM/AOS C. maxima

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Grower Inci Willard Grower Walter Muller Phragmipediums Phal. G C Reyoung Panda No RHS Registration Link to all Pictures. https://flic.kr/s/aHsmcdFC4t

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